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BOUNDARY LINE 



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British Provinces and the United States. 



A PAPER REAJJ BEFORE 

THE BUFFALO HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

February 1st, 1864. 



By WILLIAM A. BIRD, Esq 



BUFFALO: 

PRINTING HOUSE OF WHEELER, MATTHEWS &. WARREN, 

OOm of the Commercial JidTertiser, 161 M«ln 3tr«ot. 

1864. 



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THE BOUNDAEY LINE 



BETTTBKN THE 



BRITISH PROVINCES AND THE UNITED STATES. 



The line which is now the boundary be- 
tween the United States and the British Pro- 
vinces was first established by Royal Proclam- 
ation, Oct. 7, 1763, and confirmed by an act of 
Parliament in 1774, fixing the limits of "the 
Province of Quebec." 

The 45th parallel of latitude was ascertained, 
and monuments placed on Lake Champlain 
"about two and one-half miles north of Wind- 
mill point," by Sir Henry Moore, Governor of 
New York, and by the Commander-in-chief of 
the Province of Quebec, in the year 17G6, and 
confirmed by an order in Council in August, 
1768, and the line was ordered to be run be- 
tween the Provinces. 

By the Treaty of Peace in 1783, this was 
the line intended to be described as the bound- 
ary, and by that Treaty the boundary was ex- 
tended westward and northward to the Lake of 
the Woods. 

The Treaty of Peace in December, 1814, at 
Ghent, followed the same line of boundary in- 
tended by the Treaty of 1783, referring through- 
out to that Treaty. 

The Treaty at Ghent provided for the sur- 
vey and determining of the line as follows: 

By the 4th article, a Board of Commission- 
ers was created of one Commissioner to be ap- 
pointed by each Government to decide on, 
and establish the line in the Bay of Fundy 
and Passamaquoddy Bay. Thomas Barclay 
was appointed on the part of Great Britain, 
and John Holmes, of Maine, by the United 
States. 

By the 5th article another Commission 
was empowered to establish the boundary 
"From the source of the river St. Croix, north 
to the northwest angle f f Nova Scotia; thence 
along the Highlands which divide the waters 
that empty themsehes into the river St. Law- 
rence, from those which fall into the Atlantic 
ocean, and to the northwestern head of Con- 
necticut River, thence down that stream to the 



45th degree of latitude, and on that west to 
the river Iroquis or St. Lawrence." 

Cornelius P. Vanness, of Vermont was the 
Commissioner on the part of the United States, 
and Thomas Barclay on the part of Great Bri- 
tain. These two Commissions met first at St. 
Andrews in November. 1816. 

The 6th article provided for a third board of 
Commissioners to ascertain and decide upon the 
line from the point where the 45th parallel 
strikes the Si. Lawrence, up through the middle 
of that river, Lake Ontario, the Niagara river, 
Lake Erie, Detroit river. Lake and river St. 
Clair and through Lake Huroa to the St. 
Mary's river. 

Gen. Peter B. Porter was the Commissioner 
on the part of the United States, and Colonel 
John Oglevie, of Montreal, on thepart of Great 
Britain. Col. Oglevie died in Amherstburgh 
in October, 1819, and was succeeded by An- 
thony Barclay of New York, since Consul 
General of the British Government to the Uni- 
ted States. 

The 7th article provided that the same 
Board of Commissioners, after having settled 
and agreed on the line under the 6th article, 
should "proceed to fix and determine the line 
according to the true intent and meaning of 
the Treaty of 1783, from Lake Huron to the 
northwest angle of the Lake of the Wooi^s, and 
to cause such parts to be surveyed as shall be 
reqixired." 

The 8th article empowered the several 
Boards of Commissioners, to appoint Secretar- 
ies and such Surveyors and other persons as 
they should judge necessary to make dupli- 
cates of their maps, reports, statements and 
amounts and deliver them to the agents of the 
two Governments who should be appointed to 
manage the business on behalf of theii respec- 
tive Governments. 

The Commissioners, Secretaries, and Sur- 
veyors were all sworn to perform their several 



duties impartially without regard to their Na- 
tionality. 

The agents were considered the advocates or 
Attornies for the Government by which they 
were appointed. 

The Commissioners under the 4th and 5th 
articles, although they agreed to certain por- 
tions of the line on the bay of Fundy and riv- 
er 6t Cvoix, could not agree upon that part 
from the river St. Croix to its intersection 
with the 45th parallel, nor upon that parallel 
which proved to be considerably south of the 
line as before run and marked. They there- 
fore ''agreed to disagree" upon the whole line. 

By the terms of the treaty "the agreement 
and decision of the Commissioners was final 
and conclusive, but in case of disagreement 
the questions were to be submitted to some 
friendly power as arbiter. This portion of the 
boundary was therefore submitted to the King 
of the Netherlands, as arbiter, who made an 
elaborate report and decision in January, 1831, 
which, however, was not satisfactory to either 
party, and was protested against by the Amer- 
ican Minister at the Hague on the ground 
principally that the arbiter had described a 
line not in the Treaty, and therefore not dele- 
gated to him by the high contracting par- 
ties. The award therefore became of no 
account. 

That boundary remained unsettled, and a 
source of contention and illfeeling, which came 
near involving the two Governments in serious 
collisions, until 1842, when it was finally set- 
tled by "the Webster- Ashburton Treaty."' 

In May, 1817, the persons who were to com- 
pose the parties under the 6th and 7th articles, 
assembled at St. Regis, near where the 45th 
parallel of latitude meets the River St. Law- 
rence, and soon encamped on an island oppo- 
site that village. The two camps, the British 
and American, were separate, and the persons 
in each were, the Commissioner, Secretary, Sur- 
veyors, Steward, Cook, Waiter, Boatmen and 
Axemen, numbering about twenty. It was 
agreed that each party should survey separate 
sections of the rivers and lakes joining their 
work on a common base, to be agreed on and 
measured by the surveyors of both parties to- 
gether. Thus after measuring a base, one par- 
ty surveyed ten or fifteen miles to a convenient 
place to measure another base, from which the 
other party would commence, and in like man- 
ner the whole line was surveyed. Four maps 
were made of each section, one for each govern- 
ment and one for each Commissioner. 

The starting point was first to be ascertain- 
ed, and in addition to the means we had for 
fixing this point, the Commission was much 
indebted to Andrew EUicott, then a Professor at 
West Point, who came out at the request of the 
Government, with his rude but remarkably 
accurate " Zenith Sector" of seven feet radius, 
constructed by David Rittenhouse, of Pennsyl- 
vania, and himself. Mr. Ellicott continued his 
observations, and remained with us about six 
weeks, while our camp was at St. Regis. 

The survey was trigonometrical, and the dis- 
tances between ascertained points were care- 



fully delineated by the draftsman. Measure- 
ments, observations and notes were taken dur- 
ing the summer, and the calculations and 
maps were prepared in the winter. Sound- 
ings were made in all places where a doubt 
might exist as the navigable channel or the 
relative quantities of water in the several 
channels. 

A complete and perfect survey was thus 
made of the River St. Lawrence, into and to 
include all the islands in the north end of 
Lake Ontario; of the Niagara River to Lake 
Erie; of the western end of Lake Erie, from 
a line extending from Sandusky Point to 
Point Pelee; and thence continuous through 
Detroit River, Lake and River St. Clair to 
Lake Huron; and of the northern end of Lake 
Huron from the big Manitou Island to the 
Neebish rapids, at the outlet of the River St. 
Marys, which was determined to be the end of 
the 6th article. The principal points on Lake 
Huron were determined by Astronomical Ob- 
servations. 

In continuing the survey under the 7th arti- 
cle from Lake Huron, a perfect survey was 
made of the St. Marys River to Lake Superior. 
As there are no islands from the St. Marys to 
Isle Royale in Lake Superior, no survey was 
made of that part of the lake by this party. 
The maps of Capt. Byfield of the British Navy 
were adopted, and a survey was then continu- 
ed from the northeast point of Lake Royale to 
the Lake of the AVoods. I do not know that 
I can do better than to make extracts from a let- 
ter from Mr. Ferguson, (who succeeded the 
writer in charge of the survey) to me: 

Fort William, Jan. 20. 182.3. 

Dear Sir:— I have not written to you siince we left 
Michilimackinac. In any other part of the world, it 
would be a sufiicient excuse to say that I had received 
no letter from you. The truth is, we have been very 
bui^y or very idle, and they told us after the canoes left 
us in August, we should have no other opportunity of 
writing. 

I expected our survey would have been one con- 
tinued measurement, but in this I was mistaken. The 
rivers are all either broken into cascades and rapids, 
or where they are not, the banks are steep and covered 
with woods. To measure any where but on the water 
would have taken a century. So I measured the dis- 
tance by log and took the courses with a boat com- 
pass, and have protracted them by minutes and 
seconds of time. The instructions of the Commis- 
' sioners say we must perambulate the waters each way, 
and this I suppose is a kind of perambulation. In the 
large lakes I began by measuring a base, and inter- 
secring points, making a kind of tngonometrical sur- 
vey of it, and thus we continued throughout, except 
that points were determined without the formality of 
setting up stations at them and a series of lines meas- 
ured by log. The protraction agrees very well and 
comprehends about eighty miles, a chain of little lakes 
running in about the same direction westward. To 
"iake things more sure, I intend measuring along 
these lakes in the course of the winter on the ice, de- 
termining some of the principal points astronomi- 
cally. 

[Here Mr. F. explains in detail the workings of his 
chronometer, and his difficulties with his instruments 
in crossing the portages.] He continues— I deter- 
mined the position of Isle Royale by flres. The base 
will be four miles long,and is to be measured on the ice. 
T also made a survey of the island by log. I spent 
twenty days upon it, and though thei-e were several 
good observations for longitudeVithin that time, the 
nights on which they happened were not clear. 

The Canadians fumisned by Mr. Morrison knew 
nothing of canoes but to paddle in them, and had 



we not got a man from Mr. Stuart, at Mackinaw, our 
canoes would never have got across the Grand Por- 
tage. 

The small lakes froze up about the middle of Octo- 
ber, and do not open till about the first of May. 

There are three gentlemen resident at the Port ; one 
a relative of the President. But it is tremendously 
dull. If yon are in a city yoii see new faces every day ; 
but when there are only half a dozen together, yon 
soon exhaust ever common and uncommon source of 
amusement, and after that stalk about each othc ■ as 
solitary as if you were perfectly alone. There are 
two fiddles and a triangle here, and every fortnight 
since the first of November has been distinguished by 
a ball. The women and <;hildrcn amount to about 
thirty, and, with our establishment, there are near as 
many men. They dance Scotch reels, and are as 
merry as may be. The Northwest Company encour- 
age these dances to keep their men in spirits, and 
prevent them growing morose and savage ; and before 
the union of the Northwest and Hudson Bay Compa- 
nies, there was a noted difl'erence between the de- 
pendents of each. As the Hudson Bay people had 
chiefly small forts and but few dances, they became 
spiritless, and had no relief from the monotony of 
their existence. The case was difterent with the 
others: they were lively, and endured hardships much 
more willingly. At the Fort at Ashabacta they had a 
fiddler who could play only two tunes, and the gentle- 
men of the Fort paid him 200 li\Tes a year for his 
music. I don't dance, and therefore have no part in 
the diversion. I however stood Godfather to a ball 
a few weeks ago. You have heard that ('apt. Bain- 
bridge, when otr Constantinople, iutd on his table at a 
public dinner a pitcher of water from each continent 
of the globe. The drinkables at my entertainment 
were not so numerous, but more characteristic, and I 
think as appropriate — the whiskey bein^ a native 
growth, and the rum smuggled across the Niacrara— a 
capital commentary to the last part of Col Oglivies 
toast, that the boundary line was in peace, 'a trace 
upon the waters.' 

"Our men from Black Rock are dandies here, and do 
us honor. I left my clothes, except necessaries, at 
Mackinaw, and the inventory of my shirts would be 
nearly as short as Prince Henry's account of the ward- 
robe of Poins, "as one shirt for superfluity and one 
for use.' " 

The survey was continued through the 
chain of small rivers to and through the Lake 
of the Woods, and was completed in the year 
1825. 

Although the Commissioners had frequent 
coiiRiiltations in relation to the principles 
which should govern them in locating the line 
along the rivers where there were islands, they 
did not agree to any which should not be 
varied as circumstances might require, except 
that no island should be divided. The middle 
distance from main shore to main shore was 
claimed as the true line on the one part — the 
gr-'atest quantity of water, the "Filum Aquae," 
and the navigable channel, on the other part. 

After the surveys and maps were completed, 
the surveyors were directed to trace a middle 
line, and to estimate the quantity cut or 
cros.«ed by that "traced line." With the maps 
and the data furnished of quantities in the 
flmibtful islands, and of the soundings, the 
Goramissioners proceeded to mark down the 
line. When there were many islands and 
many channels the process was slow and diflB- 
oiilt; conflicting interest^ and opinions had to 
be adjusted, and concessions made by each. 
In this manner they proceeded, keeping a sort 
of debtor and credit account of quantities in 
the.se doubtful islands. They thus agreed 
upon the boundary for the whole distance 
included in the 6th article of the treaty, and 



reported to their Governments, which line, 
by the provisions of the treaty, was final and 
conclusive. 

Of this line. Bouchette, in his '-Topograph- 
ical and Statistical Description of Canada," 
speaks in the following complimentary man- 
ner: 

"The immense multitude of islands dispersed 
not only in the St. Lawrence, but at the dis- 
charge of rivers that connect the great lakes, 
must have rendered the adjustment of this sec- 
tion of the boundary excessively intricate and 
embarrassing, especially as many of the islands 
were no doubt important as points of miltary 
defense or commercial protection on the rn.n- 
tier, that either party would naturally be anx- 
ious to retain. 

"The relinquishment of Barnhart's Island by 
the British Commissioners was considered an 
important sacrifice; but the e.xclusive possess- 
ion of Grand (or Long) Island, which was left 
to Great Britain, was esteemed an adequate 
equivalent for its surrender." 

The whole line, as established by the Com- 
missioners, seems to have given general satis- 
faction. Indeed, the only complaint which has 
come to the knowledge of the writer was in re- 
lation to Barnhart's Island, and about that it 
it is believed that the British Governments, 
at home and in Canada, have been entirely 
satisfied. 

The plan of dividing the doubtful islands 
operated favorably in our immediate vicinity. 
As Long or Grand Island in the St. Lawrence, 
containing about thirty thousand acres, was 
given to the British side, the Commissioners 
came into the Niagara river with much the 
larger quantity of doubtful island territory on 
that side. There was, therefore, no hesitancy 
in appropriating Grand Island, in the Niaga- 
ra river, to the United States. That island 
(other things being equal) would have been 
questionable, as the largest surface of water is 
probably on the American side, although the 
quantity of water is about three-fifths on the 
British side. The measurement of the veloci- 
ty and depth showed that there passed on the 
Canada side 12,802,750 cubic feet of water per 
minute; on the American side, 8,540,080 feet. 
Whole quantity, 21,342,830 feet. 

To test the accuracy of the.se measurements, 
the quantity passing Black.Rock was calcula- 
ted on a subsequent day, which resulted in 
finding 21,549,590 cubic feet to pass per min- 
ute. The result was satisfactory, a.s a slight 
difference in the course and velocity of the 
wind would cause a much larger difference. 

The Commissioners were not so successful in 
settling the boundary under the 7th article. — 
The first difficulty which presented itself was 
in relation to Isle St. George, or Sugar Island, 
in the St. Mary's river, the British Commis- 
sioners claiming that the line should run on 
the western or American side of that island. — 
On the American side is a broad surface of wa- 
ter, shallow and not navigable for vessels, and 
only about half the di-stance as by the eastern 
channel, which is deep, and the only one in 
which lake vessels can ascend to the falls 



above. To this claim the American Commis- 
sioner could not agree. From a point about 
one mil*^ above that island the line was agreed 
upon and settled to Lake Superior, and through 
that lake, in a straight line, passing a little to 
tbo eou'h of Isle Cariboeuf to a point in that 
lake one Lundrpd yards to the north, and east 
of a small island named on the map, Chapeau, 
and lytog opposite and near to the north- 
eastern point of Isle Royale; from that point to 
another point on Lac la Pluie near the foot of 
Chaudiere Falls, they disagreed, the British 
Commissioner claiming that the boundary be- 
tween those points should pass through the 
lake to Fondulac and thence up the River St. 
Louis, following a chain of small streams and 
lakes and innumerable portages to Lac la 
Pluie, a ipoint from which both Commissioners 
were agreed on the line to its termimis at the 
north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods. — 
The American Commissioner, as a counter 
project, claimed that the line from Isle Royale 
should run directly to the mouth of the river 
Hamanistiguie, and thence to the point in Lac 
la Pluie, but'proposed that the route by Pigeon 
river should be adopted. ^s each Commiij- 
sioner was tenacious on those points of disa- 
greement, those points of the boundary remain- 
ed unsettled until the Treaty at Washington in 
1^42. 

The points of disagreement by the Com- 
missioners, under the 5th and 7th articles of the 
Treaty at Ghent, were finally adjusted by the 
Webster-Ashburton treat at Washington in 
1842, and at the risk of overtaxing your pa- 
tience, I will transcribe from that treaty some 
parts of its decisions. 

The uncertain knowledge of the country at 
the time of the making of the Treaty of 1783, 
led to a vague and uncertain north-eastern 
boundary — a fruitful source of disputes and ill- 
feeling in relation to it. 

The words of that treaty are, " From the 
north-west angle of Nova Scotia, via that an- 
gle which is formed by a line drawn due north 
from the source of the river St. Croix to the 
Highlands; along the said Highlands which 
divide those rivers which empty themselves 
into the St. Lawrence, from those which fall 
into the Atlantic Ocean, to the north-western- 
most head of the Connecticut river." The let- 
ter o| this description would carry the line to 
near the 48th degree of latitude, and many 
miles north of Quebec. The nature of the 
country renders it almost impossible to draw 
6uch a boundary as could be known and under- 
stood. It would have been very inconvenient 
and disagreeable to the British Government. — 
The Treaty recites that it is intended for "re- 
ciprocal advantages, and mutual convenien- 
cies.'' Its spirit, therefore, seems to justify the 
compromise made by the Treaty of 1842, where- 
by the United States yielded a larae tract of 
disputed territory along the Highlands, but 
obtained a full equivalent in the strip of terri- 
tory along the north of the 4oth parallel of lat- 
itude, including Rouse's Point. 

The first article of the Treaty of 1842 de- 
clares that the line " shall begin at the monu- 



ment at the source of the St. Croix as designa- 
ted and agreed by the Commissioners under the 
5th article of the Treaty of 1794; following the 
exploring line due north, run and marked by 
the surveyors in 1817 and 1818, under the 5th 
article of the Treaty at Ghent, to its inter- 
section with the river St. John, and to the 
middle of the channel thereof, thence up 
the middle of that river to the river St. Francis; 
thence up the middle of that river and of the 
lakes through which it flows to the outlet of 
Lake Pohonagamook; thence southwest in a 
straight line to a point on the northwest 
branch of the River St. Johns, which point 
shall be ten miles distant from the main 
branch of the St. Johns in a straight line and 
nearest direction. If the said point is less 
than seven miles from the nearest crest or 
summit of the Highlands which divide the 
waters which fall into the river St. Lawrence 
from those which fall into the Atlantic, then 
the point to recede down to a point 7 miles; 
thence in a course about south, 8 degs. west 
to a point where the parallel of 46 degs. 25 
mins. intersects the northwest branch of the 
St. John; thence southerly by the said branch 
to the source thereof in the Highlands at the 
Metjamette portage; thence down along the 
Highlands, which divide the waters, to ihe 
head of Hall's stream; thence down the middle 
of said stream till it intersects the Old Line 
surveyed and marked by Valentine and Col- 
lins, previous to the year 1774, as the 45th de- 
gree of latitude, and which has been knowp 
and understood to be the line of actual divi- 
sion between the States of New York and Ver- 
mont on the one side, and the British province 
of Canada on the other; and from said point 
of intersection west along said dividing line 
heretofore known and understood to be the 
line to the river Iroquois or St. Lawrence." 

By the second article of that treaty, it was 
agreed and declared that the line (under the 
7th article of the Treaty of Ghent, not settled 
by the Commissioners) should run through the 
middle of Lake George and eastward of St. 
George's or Sugar Island, so as to appropriate 
that island to the United States. 

And that the line westward from the N.E. 
point of Isle Royale should run through the 
middle of the sound between Isle Royale and 
the northwest main land to the mouth of Pi- 
geon river, up that river to and through North 
and South Foul Lakes to the height of land be- 
tween Lake Superior and Lake of the Woods; 
thence through the rivers, lakes and water 
communications to Lake la Pluie at the foot 
of Chaudiere Falls; thence along the same line 
agreed on and settled by the Commissioners to 
the northwest angle of the Lake of the Woods, 
situated in the 49 deg., 23 min., 55 sec, of lat- 
itude, and in 95 deg., 14 min., 38 sec, west 
longitude from Greenwich, being in both cases 
the line proposed by the American Commis- 
sioner, and without doubt the one "intended 
by the Treaty of 178.3." 

The Treaty of 1842 further declares that the 
boundary westward from the northwest angle 
of the Lake of the Woods shall, according to 



existing treaties, run due south to its intersec- 
tion with the 49th parallel of latitude, and on 
that parallel to the Rocky Mountains. 

Having occupied so much of your time in 
what I fear has been a tedious detail in rela- 
tion to treaties and their manner of execution, 
a few reminiscences of our camp life, and of 
the persons at diflerent times attached to the 
boundary party, may not be without interest, 
although so long a time has elapsed many 
things which had interest have escaped me. 
In 1816 Col. Totten located a site for a fort at 
Rouse's Point, on Lake Champlain, south of 
the line known and marked as the boundary 
many years before, but actually nortJb of the 
true parallel of 45 deg., and considerable labor 
and money was expended in preparing a foun- 
dation before it was discovered where the 45th 
deg. was. The writer of this, in company with 
Mr. Adams, the principal surveyor of our par- 
ty, met Colonel Totten at Plattsburgh, in the 
spring of 1817. The Colonel was much morti- 
hed at the mistake, and explained that he had 
relied on the observations of his assistants, 
which had confirmed the old line. It is be- 
lieved, however, that he was somewhat influ- 
enced by the representations of Col. Hawkins 
and Major Robertdeau, who were making recon- 
noissances along the northern and western 
boundaries and spread the report that the line 
would be several miles further north. That 
work was susoended and not resumed again 
till after 1842' 

Col. Samuel Hawkins was a lawyer, and had 
been District Attorney for ihe District com- 
posed of Dutchess and others, when several 
counties made a District. He obtained his 
appointment as agent under the 6th and 7th 
articles of the Treaty of Ghent, in the summer 
of 1S16, and in company with Major Robert- 
deau, of the Topographical Engineers, pro- 
ceeded on a tour along the lines. These gen- 
tlemen were "bon vivants" and "bou compan- 
ions," and made quite a stir along the frontiers 
in fixing the boundary. Their journey was 
one rather of pleasure than profit to their gov- 
ernment; for all they did amounted to noth- 
ing except to alarm the settlers along the line. 
Col. Hawkins assumed (whether sanctioned by 
Major Robertdeau or not is not known) that 
the true parallel of latitude should be calcu- 
lated on the fact that the earth is a spheroid 
instead of (what is usual) on the assumption 
that the earth is a sphere. In this manner he 
was about to take in quite a slice of Canada. 
The following, from Niles' Register of Septem- 
* ber, 1816, is a specimen of articles which ap- 
peared in the papers: "Col. Hawkins and Ma- 
jor Robertdeau have arrived at Sackett's Har- 
bor. They say that the line west of Connecti- 
cut river is at present too far South, and that 
in establishing the 45th parallel of latitude will 
give the United States sixteen townships of 
Lower Canada, and three excellent forts, and 
Isle-au-Noix." 

On the organization of the parties under the 
6th article of the Treaty in May, 1817, the 
American party was composed of P. B. Porter, 
the Commissioner; Donald Frazer, Secretary; 



David P. Adams, of the Navy, the Astronomi- 
cal Surveyor; William A. Bird, Assistant Sur- 
veyor; Thomas Clinton, Steward, with cook, 
waiter, boatmen and axemen, numbering 
about 20 persons. Professor Andrew Ellicott 
soon joined the party and remained about six 
weeks. The camp was arranged in military 
order. Each of the above named nad a tent 
which, with others for the men, stores, ic, 
made quite a show on the bank of the river. 
We were well provided with instruments; each 
Surveyor had a boat and boat's crew ; besides 
these were others for the Commissioners' and 
camp use. The Surveyors, when near the 
main camp, returned to that at night, but for 
portions of the time they took tents, provisiojis 
and camp utensils in their boats, and would 
be absent several days together, encamping 
where night overtook them. 

The gentlemen of the British party :^era 
Col. John Ogilvie, Commissioner, Dr. John 
Bixby, Assistant Secretary, David Thompson, 
Astronomical Surveyor; Alexander Stevenson, 
Assistant do., with a full compliment of other 
attendants. 

Col. Ogilvie was a prominent member of the 
N. W. Fur Co., a Scotchman by birth, a man 
of indomitable energy and perseverance. He 
had his own bark canoe and crew, and was to 
be seen almost daily on the water, overlooking 
the Surveyors and their progress. 

David Thompson had been many years in 
the employ of the Hudson Bay Company 
and had wintered at Hudson Bay. This Mr. 
Thompson, is the same, who it will be remem- 
bered in the 54 ® 40 controversy, went down 
Frazer river on his way to take possession of 
Columbia river for the British Government, 
but found that Mr. Aster's settlement had al- 
ready preceded him. As was the custom he 
had taken to wife a native in this upper coun- 
try and brought her down to his home on the 
St. Lawrence, and with her a lot of fine, intel- 
ligent children. 

Col. John Hale, from Quebec, the Agent of 
the British Government, a Lawyer and a 
fine old English gentleman, was occasionally 
with the party and in the camp of the Com- 
missioners. 

During a part of the years 1817-18, Colonel 
Hawkins was on the river and had his sepa- 
rate establishment always near that of the 
Commissioners' camp. In the spring of 1818, 
Richard Delafield (now Colonel of U. S. En- 
gineers,) joined the American party as the 
Draftsman, and for a part of the season William 
Darby (the Historian) was Assistant Surveyor. 

In June, 1818, Professor Hassler for the Uni- 
ted States, and Dr. Tiark for the British Gov- 
ernment, went out to St. Regis as Astronomers 
under the 5th article of the Treaty, to authen- 
ticate the point fixed by Mr. Ellicott as the 45th 
parallel. Our Mr. Adams went down the riv- 
er to meet them there and took with him the 
Astronomical Circle, which Mr. Hassler had 
purchased in London for the Government for 
Mr. Hassler's use. While there, a gale of wind 
broke down his shanty and utterly ruined that 
valuable instrument, thus depriving us of its 



use, but relieving us of its care and protec- 
tion. 

In the Spring of 1819, Mr. Adams was re- 
called to the-Navy, and the writer took charge 
of the Surveys except for a few months that 
soason while Major D. B. Douglass was with 
the party. James Ferguson joined the party 
as Assistant Surveyor, and Louis G. De Russw^- 
as Draftsman. 

Col. Hawkins was succeeded by Major Jo- 
seph Delafield as Agent and made his home in 
the Commissioners' camp, and remained in 
the Commission till its termination in 1825. — 
The party was this year in the west end of 
Lake Erie from July to October, when it be- 
came so reduced and weakened by sickness 
that they were compelled to decamp. This 
se.'xson was remarkable for the little wind on 
the lake, the unusual warmth and low water 
anii .the sickness. Every member of both par- 
ties was sick, some very sick. Col. Ogilvie 
died about the Ist October, at Amherstburg ; 
one of his men the same day, and all others sick . 



Hank Johnson accompanied the party this 
season for the purpose of procuring fish and 
game, in which he was almost always success- 
ful. 

In July, 1820, the party embarked on board 
the schooner "Red Jacket" in the Detroit Riv- 
er and proceeded to Lake Huron, when they 
prosecuted their Surveys till into October. — 
The schooner was retained in the service of 
the party and was the headquarters instead of 
the camp. The Surveyors were most of the 
time absent from the vessel with their own 
boat and camp equipage. 

In the Spring of 1822, the writer (the boun- 
dary under the 6th article having been com- 
pleted) resigned his position and was succeed- 
ed by Mr. Ferguson, who continued with the 
Survey to the Lake of the Woods, and re- 
mained with the party till the final close of the 
Commission in 182.''). Mr. Ferguson has since 
been employed several years on the Coast Sur- 
vey, and for the last 10 or 12 years in the Na- 
ional Observatory at Washington. 



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